Saturday, September 25, 2010

"This is how God gets things done"

Months ago, I was walking to a gas station.  I approached a busy intersection of a freeway and a very busy street, about 8 lanes in each direction.  At the median by the left turn lane, two affluent looking women were panhandling, sticking a big plastic jar into car windows for "donations".  I was disgusted, and as I crossed the street I heard one tell another "This is how God gets things done." 

Oh, it enraged me.  Yeah, and all the people you shoved the jar at, I'm sure doing that led them to Jesus and a deeper understanding of salvation.  They just saw you and YOUR God as an excuse to beg for money.  If Jesus wants money, why not skip the professional hair dye job and do it at home?  Give the balance to Him. 

Oh, it made me boil.  Still does. 

Today, I left the house with a huge tote bag filled with 95 "Invitation" New Testaments, 5 "Vida en Jesus" (Spanish) New Testaments, and 5 kiddie New Testaments.  I had a large "Free Bibles" sign and a smaller one for Ron, scroll down to see it.  I had a stainless steel 16 inch wide manual wheelchair, my Driver Candy, 5 bottles of Diet Dr Pepper, and a single-serving sized portion cup of ice cream and a plastic spoon for the driver. 

He gaped.  I explained, and gave him a New Testament Driver candy (NT in a bag with candy).  He took it.  He was Muslim. 

He unloaded us and watched as I got Ron up on the median and settled him in the wheelchair with HIS Free Bibles sign, and pulled out my tote bag with about 70 New Testaments and my sign. 

Anonymous, I would love video or photos, but I'll have to leave that up to God.  I worry a camera might scare the recipients. 

I unfurled the sign and began the walk up and down the median strip.  Ron waved his sign cheerfully and angled it so all traffic could see it. 

The first 10 minutes were pretty dry... but then it picked up.  The kiddie NT's were HUGELY popular.  "Here's something for your little girl!"  People didn't know what to make of us. 

They'd pull up and gape at me in my neon pink t-shirt and capris.  There's a blind man in a wheelchair with his own sign.  She cheerfully grins and points at the "Free" portion of the sign.  Why not?  A window rolls down.  "How many?"  Oh, I get more than one?  Thanks! 

My favorite was the vanload of seniors off to a program.  Several of the seniors spotted my sign and were obviously agitating for the driver to roll down a window.  I reached in my sack and got a huge stack, passing it in.  Everyone got a Bible and they all waved joyfully as the van accelerated with the light change. 

I had a gangster for Jesus - wearing a Jesus hat!  He waved at me and commended me.  People were a little leery but happy to get the Bibles. 

One guy pulled up and started laughing.  "Free Bibles?"  I handed him two, one for him and his companion.  "Thanks!  I'll read it!" 

Others seemed worried I was a scam, I assured everyone "No strings, just free Bibles"  I told people to put their money away and please take a Bible!  [laugh]  God has taken care of me. 

I had fun with the Metrolift driver, I waved my sign at her and bounced up and down.  She laughed as she accepted one and yelled Hi at Ron. 

Ron had a great time waving the sign and listening to me.  He worried about the honking, until I told him "Some people get so into reading the Bible they miss the light change."  One woman, upon reviewing her Bible, liked it so much she came back around and asked for more. 

Pretty soon I was down to my last Bible.  I saw a very sad faced man and was drawn to him like a magnet.  I raced over and handed it to him (he had not signalled, but he took it), as the light changed, then bounced up on the median so they couldn't "get" me. 

"Put it up, we're done!"  What?  "Put your sign away, we're out." 

THAT is how God gets things done. 

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